Adjustable nozzle suction cleaners



Sept. 25, 1956 Filed Dec. 12, 1950 G. A. BRACE ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE SUCTION CLEANERS 3 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR. George H. ,Brace ATTORNEY.

G. A. BRACE 2,763,887

ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE SUCTION CLEANERS 12, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Se t. 25. 1956 Filed Dec.

INVENTOR. George H. Brace BY ATTORNEY.

Fly 4 Se t. 25, 1956 a. A. BRACE 2,763,387

ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE SUCTION CLEANERS Filed Dec. 12, 1950 s Sheets-She et s mvzzvron.

Qeorye ALBraoe 7 ATTORNEY.

ADJUSTABLE NOZZLE SUCTION CLEANERS George A. Brace, Highland Park, 111., assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 12, 1950, Serial No. 200,421

3 Claims. (Cl. 15-361) The present invention relates to suction cleaners and more particularly to a novel arrangement of the supporting wheels and the propelling handle whereby the nozzle is automatically elevated whenever the handle is in either of its normally non-propelling positions.

In cleaners employing rotary agitators, it is undesirable to leave an operating cleaner stationary on a carpet for an extended period. This is because the rapidly rotating agitator may change the appearance of the nap by imparting a sheen to it or, if left long enough, will actually wear away a part of the nap. This result is possible whether the handle is left at its inclined rest position or in its vertical storage position. The hazard is most likely to arise while the cleaner is converted to dusting tool use; it is also frequently present during normal on-the-fioor usage as when the user is suddenly called away to answer the door or telephone, or is moving furniture.

Previous attempts have been made to circumvent these hazards but these have proven unsatisfactory for failure to provide for all contigencies or because they require some initiating action on the part of the operator.

The present invention provides a simple arrangement which is automatically operable to elevate the agitator out of contact with a floor covering whenever the propelling handle is unsupported by the hand of the user. Stated conversely, the present invention operates to lower the agitator into a carpet handling position whenever the handle is moved from either of its two positions of rest to any cleaner propelling position.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner.

Another object is the provision of new and simple automatic means for raising the agitator from the carpet whenever the propelling handle is in either of its two rest positions.

A further object is the provision of automatically operable means for lowering an agitator into contact with a carpet whenever the handle is moved from either of its rest positions into its cleaner propelling positions.

Still another object is the provision of a novel arrangement whereby the position of the operating handle determines the position of one or more of the cleaner supporting wheels with respect to the cleaner body.

A further object is the provision of a simple and effective nozzle range shifter in combination with an automatically operable agitator lifter.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side View of a suction cleaner incorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the cleaner shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top view of the rear wheel carriage taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3;

nited States Patent Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view on line 5--5 of Figure 6 showing the converter in place; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary rear View of the cleaner shown in Figure 5 with certain parts broken away.

Referring to Figures 1 to 6, it will be observed that the invention is shown incorporated in a suction cleaner of the type in which the axis of the motor-fan unit extends horizontally transversely of the cleaner body. The cleaner includes a main body casting 10 having a suction nozzle 11 in communication with two upwardly and rearwardly extending housings 12 and 13. A generally cylindrical motor-fan unit 14 is pivotally supported between the upper ends of housings 12 and 13 in a manner which will be described in detail below. The forward end of the main body 10 is supported by a pair of wheels 15, 15 concealed within skirts integral with the main casting.

- A pair of rear wheels 16 are journaled to a lever or carriage 17 pivotally connected to the main casting by a rod 18 and having a roller which rides along a trackway carried by the motor-fan unit.

A rotary agitator 19 is detachably mounted within the nozzle and comprises a large diameter shell carrying a pair of rigid, helically arranged beater elements 20 and a pair of diametrically disposed bristle brushes 21.

P assageway 22 within housing 13 encloses the agitator drive belt 24, while passageway 23 within housing 12 constitutes a suction air passageway leading into the fan eye of motor-fan unit 14. The forward end of passageway 23 preferably expands so as to extend substantially the full length of suction nozzle 11, as indicated by Figure 2.

The motor-fan unit 14 is journaled between the adjacent facing sides of housing members 12 and 13 in any suitable manner, such as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. From these figures it will be noted that cylindrical motor shell 25 is closed by a removable plate 26 which also forms the outer wall of fan chamber 27 and encloses suction fan 28. Centrally disposed in plate 26 is fan inlet eye 29. Outwardly extending annular flanges on plate 26 cooperate with hearing and sealing rings 30 and with flanged ring 31 to support the motor-fan unit rotatably at the upper inwardly facing ends of housing members 12 and 13. Ring 31 is secured to the housing members by screws 32. The combined dust guard and finishing plate 33 is also held in place by screws 32.

A similar bearing and mounting structure is carried at the pulley end of the motor-fan unit and differs primarily in that there is no central opening in the plate corresponding to fan eye inlet 29.

An exhaust air conduit 34 is cast integrally with motorfan unit 14 and its lower end communicates with the periphery of the fan chamber. A filter bag 35 is preferably provided with a bag ring 36 which is detachably secured to the end of passageway 34 by thumb nuts 37.

The propelling handle 38 is secured to a fitting 39 overlying conduit 34 and rigidly attached to the motor housing. Accordingly, it will be clear that the propelling handle, as well as the filter and exhaust air conduit, pivot with the motor-fan assembly.

As will be observed from the showing in Figures 1 to 6, the rear wheel carriage comprises a generally inverted cup shaped stamping 17. The forward end of the carriage is pivoted to the cleaner body at 18 while the rear end supports trunnions for rear wheels 16. The top surface of the carriage is slit at 40, 40 and the intervening portion 41 is depressed to form a slide channel for strip 42. Struck up tabs 43, 43 on strip 42 support a roller 44 at a slight angle to the horizontal.

Roller 44 bears against an arcuate trackway 45 secured to the underside of the motor-fan unit 14 at or near the longitudinal axis of the cleaner. The surface of the trackway is concentric to the axis of the motorfan unit except for a pair of cammed roller receiving 3;". recesses. 46 and 47. and. alower. limit. stop 48, Recess. 46 is located at the forward end of the trackway and in a position to receive roller 44 when the handle is in. itsstorage positionhdret shown as Y the vertical positiiin, while recess: 47 is located tore'ceivethej roller when tli handle is :in: its desired inclined: rest: position; This: position is ,preferably seleotedi at? a point josh-below the lower limit of thenormal operating. range; Both entrance cornersof recess 47 and the rear entrance corner" of: recess 46 may be rounded: slightly to facilitate the egress of the roller: when raising orlowering the handle from one of its two rest: positions. A- pair: of torsionsprings 9abont the rod18'urge. the carriage 17 upwardly to maintain: the roller 43- in engagementtwith' the track'- way 45."

From the foregoing it will be. clear that the arcnate; portion of the. traclcway' between the recessesrepresents" the normal operating range of the cleaner handle while. the arcuate portion bet-ween recess 47 and. stop 48*constitotes therlower operating range of the handle: when" the. elements: being used to clean' beneath 'bedx tables and other low objects:- Since; all portions of theitrackway' within these two operating ranges of'the. handle arecon: centric withthe axis of the motor-fan unit, it will be obvious thatroller: 44. riding there along will maintain the rear wheels in a uniform position with respect to the remainder of the cleaner and with respect to. the frontcarrier wheelsi1'5. However, should the. operator; place the handle in its storage position or merely release his grasp on the" handle, roller 44'will fall either into recess 46- or recess 47 allowing the rear wheelsto pivot upwardly about pivot 18- to the dotted. line: positionindicated in the drawings. As a result, the suction seal with the nozzlelips is broken and the agitator is elevatedwell above the carpet nap. Accordingly; the cleaner motor can be left: in operation indefinitely without the'possibility. ofwear or injury to the carpet.

The cleaner-may be convertedto. ofi-the-floorcleaning very quickly and simply. Converter port. 49 is located in the side of the suction passageway directly. opposite fan eye 29 and is normally'closed byasnap-oncover 50.

The converter tool'preferably. comprises afrL-shaped conduit 51 the shorter leg of which fits snugly within port 49' and extends into substantially airtight registry with fan eye29. A key. 52 on the outer side of the converter interfits with a notch 53' on the upper side of the converter port. A similar notch 54 on the lower side of port 49 receives a spring latch detent 55=to lock the converter in place. Latch 55'- also cooperates with key 52v and notches 533 54- to prevent rotation of the converter with respect: to the cleancrbody.

By reference to Figures and 6 it will be noted that the converter tool interfits with a tab on the motor-fan unit to perform two important functions. Thus, thecon.- verter cannot be inserted until the motor-fan unit isin one of two positions and secondly, once the converter isin position the motor-fan unit cannot berotated. These objectives may be served by providing'a tabv 56 on end plate 26 of the motor-fan unit which extends into similarly shaped notches 57 or 58 in theend of-the. converter tube 51. These notches are so positioned. that if. the handle. is in the vertical position, tab 56 extendsinto notch 57. However, if the handle isin theinclineda rest position when converting, tab 56 extends into notch 58'.

From the foregoing'it-will be evident thatv the converter cannot be inserted and locked in place unless: the handle isv in its storage position or in its inclined rest position. In eitherofthese-positions, the rear wheels are elevated with the result that the nozzle and agitator are also elevated out of contact withthe carpet. Once. the converted is locked in place, the handle and the rear wheels are also locked insuring that the agitator will remain out of contact with the carpet so longas the converter remains-in place.

The present invention also incoiporates' simole and easilyv operated means for adjusting the nozzle to carpets of widely varying thickness without, however, interfering with the automatic nozzle raising feature described in detail above. The nozzle range shifting adjustment mechanism will be best understood by reference to Figures 3 and 4. From. these. figures it will be noted that roller 44 is quite long-and" that its axis is inclined to the: horizontal; This roller is carried ou strip 42 which is slidable crosswise of carriage l7. Normally strip 42 is held in a desired positio-n by a controllever- 60 pivoted to the underside of the carriage by a: large diameter rivet 61. A compression spring 62 extends between the. lowerrend of? the rivet andthe underside of lever 60 holding it snugly against the underside of the carriage. The notched, forward endof lever 60 is received by the slotted end 63 of an extension on strip 42.

The upturned rear end 65 of lever 60 extends upwardlythrough an arcuate. slot.66,-inthe. carriage. Spaced apart. downturned tabs,- 67, 67 on the forward side of. slot. 66 provide a plurality of notchesor-stops for handle 65. Thusroller 44ucan. be. shiftedlaterally to any desired position by depressing lever 65 against the. action of spring. 62 until, the lever is below the lower end of thetabs and. releasing it when it. is opposite one of the. notches. Spring 62 then presses the lever upwardly against thecarriage locking the roller in the desired adjusted position.

Operation The operation of the entire cleaner is thought quite obvious from the foregoingv description but will be reviewed. briefly. Let it be assumedthat the range shifter control lever is in-intermediate or normal position as illustrated in Figure 3 and that the propelling handle is in an inclined operating position as shown in Figure 1. Roller 4,4 then rides along the forward sector of track 45 between recesses 46 and 47. Rear Wheels 16 and carriage. 17 are held in definite relationship with the cleaner body to maintain the nozzle at a proper constant height for. normal cleaning purposes.

If the operator should release his grasp on the handle, it will fall. by gravity until. roller 44 fallsv into recess 47. permittingcarriage 17 and the rear wheels to pivot upwardly aboutipivot 18 When this occurs, the cleaner body: pivots downwardly about. the front carrier wheels 15 raising the nozzle, breakingthe suction seal and elevating, the agitator out. of contact with the carpet. The cleaner may continue to operate for an indefinite period without any possibility of injury to the carpet. As soon as. the operator grasps the handle and either raises or lowersit slightly, roller 44 will pass out of recess 47 onto the elevated portion of the track causing the carriage and ,the; rear, wheels. tobe. lowered and restoring the nozzle. tov its optimum operating, position with respect to the carpet- Should-the. operator take. the. cleaner. onto a diiferent typeof. carpet, let us say. an extrathick carpet on which ahighernozzlle.operatingheightis desirable, the operator hasbutto shift. the controllever 6Sto adjust the. nozzle. This is accomplished simply byv depressing lever 65 with the toe andshiftingzit to the rightto. the position marked thick. Shiftingof. the lever moves the lower end of roller 44 into contact with. track 45; As a result, carriage-17 pivots upwardly causing the cleaner body to rotate rearwardlly about wheels 15' raising the nozzle mouth to the optimum height for the cleaning of thick carpets. Adjustment of the nozzle to-thin carpets is ac complished ina similar manner by shifting the higher end of roller 44 into contact withtrack 45'.

li'fthe opera'tor' desires to clean-beneath abed or other low piece of furniture, he simply lowers the handle into the lower operating-range. Ashe-doesso; theroller-passes through recess 47 and onto the.- rearmostend of track 45. If the handle is raised. to itsv vertical; storage positinn. roller 44 rolls into recess 46 allowingrthe rear wheels to pivot upwardly and resulting in the raising of the nozzle above the carpet.

If the operator desires to convert the cleaner to offthe-floor cleaning, it is merely necessary to remove converter cover 50 and insert converter tool 51 through port 49. This may be done when the handle is in either its storage position or its inclined position of rest and regardless of whether or not the motor is operating. In either handle position, the nozzle is elevated above the carpet and tab 56 on the motor-fan unit will align with either notch 57 or notch 58 in the end of the converter tool allowing it to be latched in position in registry with the fan eye. If, for any reason, the handle is not in the inclined rest position or the storage position, the converter tool cannot be inserted because tab 56 will abut the end of the converter and prevent it from being inserted far enough to be latched. However, once the converter is latched in position, tab 56 interlocks with one of the notches 57 or 58 on the converter to prevent the handle from being moved and thereby prevents the rear wheels from being lowered to bring the agitator into contact with the carpet.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that it is to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. I do not wish to be limited to the particular structures shown and described, but to include all equivalent variations thereof except as limited by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A range shifting adjustment mechanism for the nozzle of a suction cleaner comprising a suction cleaner body having a suction nozzle, a propelling handle pivoted to said body having an arcuate sector, a motor-fan unit therefor, a pair of non-adjustable wheels for said cleaner. a vertically adjustable wheel carriage for said cleaner, means for adjusting said carriage vertically including a movable roller positioned between said carriage and said arcuate sector of said handle, said roller having a surface inclined slightly to the horizontal and having its axis extending crosswise of said sector, and a manually operable lever for moving said roller axially to adjust said carriage vertically whereby said cleaner pivots about said non-adjustable wheels to adjust said suction nozzle to carpets of different thickness.

2. A range shifting adjustment mechanism as defined in the preceding claim in which said manually operable means comprises a lever extending rearwardly from said movable roller and having an end accessible for manual control at the rear of said cleaner, and means for supporting said lever for movement transversely of said cleaner.

3. In combination with a suction cleaner having a body provided with a suction nozzle, a rotary agitator therein, a motor-fan unit drivingly connected to said agitator, supporting wheels for said body including a pair of wheels vertically adjustable with respect to said body, a propelling handle pivoted to said body having two positions of rest, lever means pivoted to said body including means connecting one portion thereof to said adjustable wheels, roller means on said lever means and positioned to ride upon a cammed sector movable with said handle, said lever means and cammed sector arranged to move said adjustable wheels to raise said nozzle and agitator out of their carpet cleaning position when said handle moves into either of said rest positions and to lower said nozzle as said handle is moved out of said rest positions, and means supporting said roller at an angle to the horizontal and shiftable laterally with respect to said cammed sector to move said lever means vertically to adjust said nozzle to carpets of different thicknesses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,678,111 Frantz July 24, 1928 2,022,438 Schwarz Nov. 26, 1935 2,174,595 Pierce Oct. 3, 1939 2,325,796 Pierce Aug. 3, 1943 2,329,563 Taylor Sept. 14, 1943 

